jcb 8080 excavator

[IANOZ]

greetings from australia.has anyone had problems with jcb8080???mine with 2500hrs stopped dead and after two weeks broken down fitters finally decided that computer is stuffed. i was wondering if anyone has had simler troubles. i have been told 3000 aus $ for a new one and none in the country of course, atleast two weeks away. seems to me, all the dud machines were sent out here. please send me some answers good or bad. love the machine just hate the gremlins that came with it. i will tell some of the rest of the sad story later on. ian

[Robban_C]

When my computer died in the EC35 the fitter put some extra cables (with fuses on for fire protection) and switches from the battery to the dead functions so I could continue using the machine. It took just about an hour to do it and then I was back on the trac again. When we got the new computer he removed the cables, put them in his tool box for future use, changed the computer and then I could use it again.
Top mechanic!

Could a similar solution run on your machine until the new computer arrives?

[IANOZ]

hi robert, thanks for the reply. i am 500km from the dealer. it will cost me $1400 for the fitter to get here before he even puts a spanner on it,double that for him to come back to install computer, plus $3000 for new computer plus his time at $100 per hour, the sub agent fitters who have looked at it here have not been trained to use laptop computer to tell whats wrong.I was trying to find out if the computer has been a problem over in england. The dealers here stopped importing this model, 2 were sold here in queensland. Both have had ongoing problems No idea what happens if they install new one and it dies!! something caused the old one to fail. how many hours did your machine have on it?Hope to hear from you and anyone soon. THANKS IAN.

[IANOZ]

Robert , no offence taken .HEY still havnt answer my ? [how many hours did your volvo have on it when computer died ] Just interested , as i really think mine should have gone a lot more than 2500 hours before the used by date came up. Another ? am i in the correct forum with the JCB 8080 being an 8ton machine .What is the upper limt to compact excavators I did look in excavator forum but didnt get past the hymac post . got a soft spot for hymacs, first excavator i ever operated and got my ticket on it .ONCE AGAIN NO OFFENCE TAKEN , NO APology nessessary .ian.

[Robban_C]

Robert , no offence taken .HEY still havnt answer my ? [how many hours did your volvo have on it when computer died ] Just interested , as i really think mine should have gone a lot more than 2500 hours before the used by date came up. Another ? am i in the correct forum with the JCB 8080 being an 8ton machine .What is the upper limt to compact excavators I did look in excavator forum but didnt get past the hymac post . got a soft spot for hymacs, first excavator i ever operated and got my ticket on it .ONCE AGAIN NO OFFENCE TAKEN , NO APology nessessary .ian.

Puh. Suddenly my existence feels much better and much more relaxed.
Now, what´s that expression in English? Could it be "no danger done"? Na, that sounds silly. "No harm done" would probably the right translation.


About that question:
I´m sorry, I missed that.
The computer was dying when I bought the (used) machine (1950 hours) so they changed it on the warranty.
That computer also died after half a year so they changed it again and now it runs as it should.
It has 4800+ hours on the clock today and it never fails. It just runs and runs and runs and....

Here are som advices on how to prolong the life of the computer (also called "Puma" which in Swedish means "cougar" but that is probably just a coincidence):
1. The computer dies from excessive heat. Make sure that you don´t connect to many extra devices such as working lights at the "original" connections in the fuse boxes. They are all controlled by the computer.
2. The later computers have (as I have heard) better cooling.

This is what I have learned from the repair guys.


I have a few electric valves that had its electrics from the computer. Now they have their own cable from the battery.
I have extra working lights (remember that we live in "The Dark North" ), totally 6, 2 on the roof (original), 2 on the boom (1 is original), 1 on the dipper and one on the rear of the cabin. I run them all from the fuses and that isn´t that good, sometimes all lights "blacks out" if I use them all together for several hours.

On my new digger, the EC45 PRO, I plan to make a separate fuse box connected directly to the main switch for all extra equipment such as lights, valves, rotortilt etc.

[IANOZ]

hi robert, You may have hit the nail right on the head with the problems I have with my computer. The one about kept it cool . JCB in there wizdom Sent UK designed here to the heat of australia. The com puter is mounted behind the seat sealed in a heavy metal box.with the hydralic control valves mounted directly behind computer.The engine and muffler are to the right of it. the heat from the motor hits the side window and the glass gets so hot you can not put your hand on it Air conditioner can not cope .ITS not a good enviroment for me let alone a computer . Thanks IAN.

[Robban_C]

With all that heat centralized in one place your digger would probably produce as much heat as in a nuclear melt-down.
I guess that you don´t have to freeze in winter.

Seriously, excessive heat is as you all know the enemy to lots of parts in our beloved machines, not only the comupters.
How do you say it in English? My dictionary says that it should be "Enough is as good as a feast".

[IANOZ]

Hi robert, I am still waiting for the new computer to arrive, so when it gets here i will see what ideas the fitter has about cooling the computer. Its great to have a zero swing excavator ,but with every thing packed in like sardines in a can is the price we pay. OUR winters here are probably the same as your summers there. and as you can see by jim in oz s posts there is a big differance in weather conditions . hes down in the cold south ???? with 45c and i am up here in the tropics at 31c. In the [lost] post I said we do get volvo excavators here but stop at 5 ton and start at 22ton again with nothing inbetween. the other brand you said dont come here. I dont know how far you are from your volvo dealer ,some of your posts i have read ,you seem to be working in some very remote places. I dont know we are both in two different worlds. What is remote to you . is a normal drive to work to me Dealer service from JCB is not good ,There has been a couple of times that they book a day for work to be done on the machine ANd then dont come , i lose a days work and i dont get even a sorry , There is no perfect machine , if there was we would all be driving one and there would be no other brands. I dont get to many opittunitys to drive other brands of machines ,to be able to compare .Construction equipment australia the JCB dealers put a lot of effort into selling us this lemon [that most of the time I do love] promised us the world and then didnt deliver. I have not seen a salesman again since the day the machine was delivered. Most of the other brands are no different ,there are horror storys out the everywhere. but there are just as many, if not more happy owners owners out there . Read the JCB vs case backhoe thread ,proves every one has there own idea of the perfect machine and heaven help those who disagree . HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU AGAIN SOON . ian

[IANOZ]

hi robert, still no good news here yet . Someone stuffed up and it will be another week getting here . I am gritting my teeth but still trying to smile but its hard. had to ring and cancell more bookings. Innes on the trackloader site also said alternator problems are not good for the computer ,which my machine has had from new. Keep up the good work up in the cold dark north ,someone has to be out there making a dollar or kroner or what ever it is in your part of the world .hear from you soon. ian. PS i will put some photos of the old girl on but not until it s going .ian.

[Robban_C]

Sorry Ian, I missed this thread. Again!

... I dont know how far you are from your volvo dealer ...

My nearest Volvo machine dealer is just 30 km from where I live. And my nearest Volvo spare parts supplier is just 20 km from home.
And I live in what could be called "Volvo Town", that is Eskilstuna where some Volvo machines and parts are made (not the compacts, they are made in France).
And I´m sometimes hired as an extra demonstration driver at the Volvo Customer Center, just 3 (!) km from home. Yes, that is just THREE km from home.

So I realize that you and I have very differing locations and workplaces but spare parts are a very important matter anyway.
I have been lucky so far, all important parts have never taken more than 24 hours to get.
The lower front windshield got cracked a few years ago a winter when it was really cold, about -26 to -28 Centigrades every day. That windshield took over a week to get but I could replace it with a piece of cardboard so I could work anyway.
But everything else has always arrived within 24 hours, no matter if it comes from the spare parts store here in Eskilstuna or from Belgium or from France. 24 hours and that is a maximum.

And yes, I´m trying to make a few bucks (they are called "kronor" or "krona" if it is just one) even in wintertime. I have just finished of a basement drainage/isolation project. I will get back there in spring when there are no frost in the ground to do some fine grading.
On monday there will be some cutting down of trees (if my cold is better and the fever is lower) at a property not long from where I live.
After that I will start a big project with a footing for a house and a sauna on the other side of our town (still just about 25 km from home).

And a few words about the economical situation (yes, I know that it is the wrong thread):
Sweden didn´t get as hard hit by the recession as some of our other countries but I would say that we are already seeing some smaller lights in the dark here. So there might be a small chance that you guys and dolls out there that got hit really hard might get a little better times when spring comes!